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Text Luna sniffed disdainfully as they strode into Ponyville: only a few days had passed since the attack of the Black Wolves of Hell, but reconstruction efforts were well under way and another work crew of Nibelung had been sent in to help with the rebuilding efforts. Frames had been set back up for the destroyed houses and the wreckage sorted and salvaged as much as possible, and other dwarves were digging up the rotted and corrupted terrain, shoveling it into wheelbarrows to be taken to a dump site to the west. Scrivener couldn't help but give the winged unicorn an amused look as they walked side-by-side, the earth pony absently flicking his head to adjust his glasses as he said finally: "You know, this probably won't be that bad-" "Oh shut up, Scrivener Blooms." Luna said grouchily, and the earth pony snorted in entertainment as he grinned a bit despite himself. "Thou has not reason to be so cheerful about this. We are going to meet Odin to speak to him on matters of grave importance. Matters concerning thee, as a matter of fact, and that which lurks inside thy mind, and I am sure a grand and awful lecture will follow. Why is it that thou art so cheerful in spite of all this?" "I dunno, to be honest, I've just been... feeling better these last few days. I thought you'd be happy about that." Scrivener replied mildly, glancing towards her as he shrugged a bit, and they bumped their sides together lightly as they strode down the road towards dome-shaped city hall in the distance. "Maybe it's because we've been able to talk so much and... work through things together, I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just having a random happy bout. But either way... I feel good." "It's a sickness." Luna announced, leaning forwards and inspecting him through narrowed eyes. "Wert thou eating poison joke while I wasn't looking? Licking strange mushrooms? Buying so-called 'miracle tonics' from the Strange Ones or Nibelung?" Scrivener rolled his eyes at this, but he was smiling all the same as he gave her an entertained look, replying dryly: "No more drugs than usual, dearest. Besides, you know me. I'm a drunky, not a junkie." He paused meditatively as they halted in front of the narrow steps leading up to the doors of city hall, Luna giving him a flat look. "I could probably write a poem about that, as a matter of fact. I'm sure it would only be three-quarters as offensive as most of the poems I wrote while working at Canterlot." The winged unicorn opened her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted as the double doors swung open, both ponies glancing up to see Odin standing and looking down at them calmly, crossing his arms and saying quietly: "I'm glad to see you both here. We have a few subjects to talk about." Luna grimaced as Scrivener became more serious, the two nodding slowly, and the once-god turned and strode inside. The ponies shared a look, emotions and thoughts twisting between them in a flurry before they turned and strode quickly up the steps and into the building, Luna flicking her horn absently to close the doors behind them. They joined Odin at a long wooden table he had set up in the center of the spacious front lobby, which otherwise was empty... or perhaps hollow was a better word, considering how ghostly and strange it felt in the echoing, destitute room. The ponies sat in the uncomfortable wooden chairs to one side, not too near or too far from where Odin was standing at the cluttered head, looking moodily down at books, maps, and other scattered papers and trinkets. Finally, he sighed quietly and sat down himself, resting against the high-backed chair with a grimace as he fumbled his flask out of his jacket and sipped deeply from it, then looked over at the two ponies, studying them as they looked back at the once-god. For a few moments, that was all they did, surveying each other in silence... and then finally, Odin corked his flask and put it down. Luna began to open her mouth, and the once-god held up his hand, shaking his head and saying firmly: "Brynhild, wait. As I said, we have several things to discuss, and in due time we'll work up to the subjects that perhaps hold the greatest importance. But haste is a fool's folly, and there are other matters I wish to attend to first." The winged unicorn threw her head back with a groan as Scrivener reached up and adjusted his glasses nervously, and Odin surveyed the two before he asked quietly: "First of all, for example... I was recently in corrupted Equestria-" "Either thou art nowhere near as infirm as thou acts at times or thou possesses a truly miraculous and easy way to move back and forth between the layers, Odin... especially as the Bifrost is currently regenerating, and in no fit state to work as a bridge between worlds." Luna replied dryly, leaning forwards moodily and glowering at him. "Would it really cause so much harm to permit me a safer and easier method to travel than the accursed burning rainbow bridge?" "Yes." Odin said sourly, and Luna grumbled under her breath as the once-god continued irritably: "Unlike you, Brynhild, I use Valhalla as a stepping stone. If you brought dead souls into Valhalla, what do you think would happen? Furthermore, if I permitted you into Valhalla, what would you do?" The winged unicorn grumbled as she slid back against the chair, muttering under her breath and crossing her forelegs, and Odin nodded after a moment before he continued quietly: "I encountered, among other things, a Nightmare that pleaded for salvation and redemption. It knew about you, and about what your task was... it said that you considered bringing monsters of that world into this one. I wish to hear your reasoning for this." Now Luna shifted awkwardly, clearing her throat a bit and looking almost embarrassed before she said finally: "I am a firm believer in second chances, Odin. And I believe as well that there are few things in all these realms that are beyond redemption, beyond... serving a purpose of some sort. I have been cast in the role of both hero and villain, and come to understand that the only thing that truly makes them different is the perception of others... for a hero may hurt and kill countless people, while a villain may disrupt and destroy but never murder a single soul. It is... difficult to wrap one's mind around." Odin continued to look at her, as if expecting her to continue, and Luna grimaced a bit before she said quietly, bowing her head forwards: "I... do not wish to see them perish. Demons, Nightmares, so-called 'monsters...' I often feel that I am a monster myself, after all." "You're not a monster, Brynhild. You are a Valkyrie. Form and shape of a pony or not, you always have been and always will be a Valkyrie." Odin replied quietly, and then he smiled wryly when the winged unicorn glared at him. "I do not mean that you will always be my handmaiden by that, either. You know what I speak of." "Yes, yes, I suppose that I do. But now thou art the one dancing around the question and not me, and no one likes to see old fools dance, 'tis unsettling." Luna replied drolly, and Odin reached up and rubbed slowly at his forehead before she added mildly: "Besides, this world requires a little evil to balance out the good. I think a few things to go bump in the night will not be remiss, especially if they are not killers, only fear-mongers." "It may seem strange, but I do agree with you." Odin said softly, and the winged unicorn looked up in surprise, tilting her head curiously as the once-god gave a dry smile. "Not for the same reasons, admittedly. But assuming the creatures are oath-bound and keep their word, they will act as an additional layer of protection: it will be like introducing a new species of insect to the environment of a rival sibling. A Nightmare of this world and a Nightmare of your world will not interact with the same amiability as two creatures of the same plane. They will be distrustful, and may even work to weed one another out." "You wish to use the monsters of our world against the monsters of this one... since they will likely be drawn to same territory, will have to claim places in the dark corners as their own by conquest of other beasts and creatures. And this first line of monsters will be honor-bound to serve us, and these creatures of darkness cannot break a solemn vow without dire consequence." Luna said slowly, and Odin nodded before he seemed to soften a bit... and Luna smiled faintly as she understood, closing her eyes and adding quietly: "And aye, I know. They also see kinship in me. They look up to me, as smaller, weaker creatures look up to a pack lord. For even though I walk in daylight... darkness is my true home." "It is nothing to be ashamed of, Brynhild. It is something, furthermore, that we can use to our advantage, if you will permit me to speak in such strategic and remorseless terms." Odin replied quietly, leaning forwards and looking at her quietly, and Luna nodded awkwardly after a moment as Scrivener gazed at her softly. "I would like for you to be careful in your selection, however... many creatures of the night will bend to a strong master or can be convinced to serve a purpose, but there are still plenty that exist solely to cause disruption and chaos. There will be chaos enough in this world as it is." Luna smiled a bit, and Odin looked at her thoughtfully for a few moments before he leaned back and said softly: "On a positive note, I wish to add that Illyria had worked out the schematics for the amplifiers with Roma's assistance... late tonight or early tomorrow, another Architect should arrive with several Nibelung specialists to figure out where the amplifiers should be positioned. But I am glad to say we are another step closer to revival." "I am glad as well then, Odin. Thou has my thanks... but I am curious. Why art thou so invested in this?" Luna asked curiously, and the once-god gave her a smile in return, which only made her frown moodily. "Well, 'tis a good question, I think! Thou, as a warrior god, urged on the genocide of the Vanir. Thou replicated the layers, and many layers have already fallen and I have not seen thee shed a tear for the departed nor struggle to revive what may remain in them, and yet thou works tirelessly to revive these ponies who barely know thy name and offer thee no worship nor gratitude. The only reason I work so hard to save them is because among them are friends and family, because they are all ponies of my land, my home, because so much of what happened... was my fault." "And do you think my reasons are so different? After all, everything that has happened here is my fault." Odin replied quietly, shaking his head slowly. "When I replicated the layers... I did not expect the results to be so... so tangible. I thought they would be more akin to illusions, enough to confuse and slow Valthrudnir down while I figured out how to put a halt to his machinations. But they were all real, all full of living lives... lives I have seen perish again and again, countless lives Valthrudnir killed over and over... countless deaths that were all my fault. Weeping over them is pointless, Brynhild, and serves no purpose but to make me seem even weaker and more self-pitying than I already am. I created these worlds, aye: but why should me worship or gratitude? I created them to be used as living shields and distractions for a monster I feared would kill them all, even after I dropped the scattered remnants that I could save from Valhalla across the layers to further slow the Jötnar down. That is not the act of a being that deserves worship. That was the act of a coward who must make amends to the poor people he shoved in front of the knife meant for him." Luna looked quietly at Odin, and Odin gazed silently back, then he shook his head slowly and tiredly picked up his flask with a sigh, slowly opening it and sipping at the ambrosia quietly before looking down at the shiny silver canister, muttering: "There are fine lines between cowardice and caution, bravery and stupidity. I am somehow certain that over the course of my life I have often crossed back and forth over these lines countless times." He carefully screwed the lid back on the flask, shaking his head slowly, then he continued quietly: "But we all make mistakes, I suppose. The longer you live, the more mistakes you make... just as the more victories you strive for, the more failures you're bound to accrue as well, and at the end of life who knows which is worth more? The point is in the journey and the trials, and how we rise to meet them, not in the defeats we give or take. I have learned that now... and that humility and mercy are the strongest of all vessels. Any brute can swing a fist in anger, few can offer an open hand." Odin paused and looked down quietly, shaking his head slowly as he murmured: "How I wish to take back all I have wronged, how many regrets I have about the victories I achieved, the peoples I pushed down, everyone and everything that I brought ruin to. There were many enemies we had we could have made peace with instead of destroying outright... oh, at the time, total conquest seemed like the most strategically-sound solution. But if I had left those enemies alive, we would have had someone to turn to when Helheim moved against us, when Valthrudnir put his grand machinations into play. Now all my victories look sallow and sour... so much of what I have done seems only like bullying and childishness... my pushing the Aesir to be better and hardier nothing more than the pedantic 'knowing-better' of an old goat shoving his dreams onto others to live vicariously through them, because it is the easier path, because he can't let go of the past, because he refuses to move on and acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, there is value in things other than himself." There was silence for a few moments, and then the once-god smiled again and lowered his head, saying softly: "I apologize, friends. I am old, I am tired, I have much weighing on my mind. Sometimes my mouth simply runs away from me before I can catch it." "Well, get thyself in check, old lecher. I do not have the patience for thy speeches, when so much else hangs in the balance." Luna replied quietly, and Odin glanced up with a quiet chuckle before the winged unicorn hesitated, then asked softly: "But was everything we did so wrong? Does thou not have some achievements thou can be proud of, or is it the fate of all things to one day wind up old and regretful and miserable?" "Nay, Brynhild, there are always things to be proud of. I am proud of my son, Thor, and if I am permitted, I am proud of thee and Freya as well." Odin replied quietly, and Luna gave a small smile before the one-eyed entity looked slowly up at the ceiling. "I am proud of the worlds I have helped to build. I am proud of the forces of evil we stopped. And, selfishly, I am proud of myself for living a little up to my namesake after so many years of foolishness. Mimir hang me, though, I wish I had done better." He paused, then shook his head briefly before looking up, speaking in a drier voice: "However, enough meandering around the path, for I believe that the two of you are doing something that you will not be so proud of in the future. I do not wish you two to end up regretful and lost... Brynhild, my Valkyrie, you know that nothing grants invulnerability, and nothing grants eternal joy. Not even your love." Luna bristled a bit, and Scrivener reached up and touched her shoulder as he rested against the table, looking quietly towards Odin as the once-god continued softly: "I do not say this out of spite, but only concern. I understand why you would be hesitant to speak of this to me, after the past, after the things that have happened. But Brynhild, I vowed to never again harm you as I have in the past, and that means I cannot harm Scrivener Blooms either, if that is what you fear. Not with you connected as you are." "And would thou try and sever the connection between us, Odin?" Luna asked sharply, and the once-god frowned a bit at her as she leaned forwards over the table, but Scrivener could feel concern and fear beneath the anger. "For that would do worse to me than any blade or bludgeon ever could, and I know thou has many awful tricks up thy sleeve." "That would be harming you then, Brynhild. As I said, I won't harm you." Odin replied tiredly, and he looked slowly over the two before saying quietly: "It's something from the Tyrant Wyrm, isn't it? It's a corruption that hasn't faded, a darkening that has only become deeper with the passage of time." "Yes." Scrivener Blooms looked up and smiled a bit, and Luna glanced towards him with surprise, frowning deeply... but when they met one-another's eyes, as their thoughts and emotions swirled back and forth between them, she only sighed softly before grumbling and burying her face against the side of his neck moodily, and Scrivener wrapped a foreleg around her quietly as he closed his own. "I don't know how to explain it. I don't know what to say, Odin, and I am... I am nervous. You're... well... I'm not honestly entirely sure what you are, still..." Odin chuckled a bit at this, and when Scrivener looked up in surprise, the falcon-headed being said softly: "Don't worry, I'm not sure what I am either. Would it be easier if I asked you a few questions about certain specific worries I have?" Scrivener nodded hesitantly after a moment, and Odin nodded back after a moment, questioning gently: "Does this force compel you to do things? I do not mean whether or not it influences you to make choices... I mean, does it make certain choices for you?" "No, it's never... taken control of me or anything like that. Sometimes it guides me towards this or that but... the choices are mine. I take responsibility for everything I've done." Scrivener said softly, and he smiled a bit despite himself: he sounded like a pony confessing to some horrible crime. "I see things sometimes. Not just... what you already know about, but other images, other... things. I guess you knew that too already, though, didn't you?" "Finding you arguing with what looked to me only as thin air did give me a clue towards that, yes." he replied calmly, and Luna mumbled a bit as she buried her face deeper against the male's neck. For a moment, the once-god looked thoughtfully at Scrivener, and then he asked quietly: "I saw that Luna had polymorphed you before into something between the pony that you are and the Tyrant Wyrm you could become. Why did you assume that shape?" "Luna and I discussed it and thought it would help if... wait, what did you say?" Scrivener frowned a bit and Luna looked up quickly, the two looking intently at Odin as he only calmly looked back. "Tyrant Wyrm that... that I could become? What did you mean by that?" Odin rose a hand, and the two ponies leaned back a bit, still looking worriedly towards the once-god as he closed his eyes and explained slowly: "That response answers several other questions I had, in ways that both refresh me and concern me. But you have seen them for yourself, witnessed their nature: the Tyrant Wyrms are shells, living embodiments of reality twisted into sentient destruction and suffering. The outside only looks as it does because of Valthrudnir's ego. "No, like anything else, it is what is inside that matters... but in the case of the Tyrant Wyrms, this is more literal." Odin continued quietly, sitting back with a grimace. "They are given power and existence by their organic souls, made up of energy and spirits and once-living things all polymorphed together into one engine of agony. They are a plague, figuratively and literally, and it seems that you have been infected, Scrivener Blooms." Scrivy looked silently at Odin as Luna swallowed slowly, then she gritted her teeth and shook her head firmly, saying quietly: "But we can overcome this, Odin. Do not think that-" "Brynhild, stop." the once-god said gently but firmly, and for once, Luna quieted and only looked at him silently as he slowly stood up, leaning towards them, but he was smiling faintly, and his eyes were not angry, not vengeful, but concerned. "If I wanted to take extreme measures, by now I would have, alright? But I'm not going to act with haste on this issue. Brynhild, the fact that only Scrivener is being affected by this is a calming sign. It may even mean that the infection can be contained." Scrivener Blooms smiled a bit at this as Luna looked surprised... then she bowed her head humbly, and Odin continued quietly: "The worst case scenario is that you could begin to... change. In mind, more than in body. I know you already see things differently than most mortals can, but this is only a side effect, an... enhancement more than a danger, even if I know it must have its drawbacks. I know that you must see yourself as something dark and damned but you are far from that still, Scrivener Blooms." Scrivy smiled awkwardly at this, and Odin looked moodily between the two before he asked slowly: "But what were you arguing with before? What drove you to such anger, to such a state of excitement? You looked like Helheim itself was biting at your heels." Scrivener and Luna traded a nervous look before they both looked towards Odin, and the once-god looked steadily back at them as the silence spiraled out. Then, finally, Scrivener swallowed thickly and lowered his head, feeling another worm of fear through his gut before he mumbled: "I saw... myself." He shivered a bit at this lie, feeling a twist in his guts as he thought about everything that statement could imply... and Odin looked moodily at them before he shook his head and sat slowly back in his chair, saying quietly: "Very well. But you should know, Scrivener, you're a worse liar than Brynhild." Scrivener mumbled a little to himself as he shrank back a bit, and the winged unicorn grumbled under her breath, glaring towards the once-god. "Are we done here then, Odin? Or can we at least move on to whatever other tasks thou has for us?" Odin looked at them for a few moments, then he sighed and nodded. "Yes, yes, enough is enough for now. Go ahead and return home, or stay and help out if you like: I have no tasks for you at this moment in time." The two nodded, slipping away from the table and heading for the doors. Luna flicked her horn to open them, and then she and Scrivener paused as Odin called after them: "Be wary, friends. The worst enemy is always within." "As if we didn't already know this." Luna muttered, and Scrivener smiled faintly despite himself as the winged unicorn stormed past him, the earth pony hurrying after her as he felt the turmoil and worries spinning through both of their minds and souls. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story